My colleague Ray is one lucky bastard. While I’m shoveling leftovers for lunch every day, he digs into a home cooked Indonesian lunchbox prepared and delivered by Ira’s Gourmet, a Pasadena-based caterer specializing in Indonesian fare. Even though Ray has been calling America home for the past ten years, he says that these daily feasts help to keep his homesickness at bay.

After weeks of smelling the sweet Indo aromas wafting from my colleague’s desk, I felt compelled to place an order for my very own lunchbox. When Ray informed Ira that I might be writing up her Indo meals-on-wheels service on gas•tron•o•my, she prepared a special lunchbox for me featuring a wide array of her offerings.

Being introduced to Indonesian cuisine by a home cook was a real thrill, especially since I knew that every item was prepared fresh and with care. The first offering that caught my eye was the telur balado (left), which consisted of a hard-boiled egg topped with a chili chutney. Since hard-boiled eggs and I usually meet in savory settings, I was taken aback by how sweet this dish was. I could’ve easily eaten several more.

In the compartment next to the telur balado was rendang daging (right)—beef simmered in coconut milk. The rendang, a “dry” beef curry, was served with Jasmine rice. With its deep lemongrass profile and aromatic collection of spices, the tender beef rendang tasted vaguely familiar.

The most visually arresting item in the lunchbox was the tumpeng, cone-shaped rice surrounded by assorted Indonesian dishes. The tumpeng dates back to ancient Indonesian traditions that revered mountains “as the abode of ancestors and gods.” The cone-shaped rice is meant to mimic the holy mountain.

The “mountain” of nasi kuning, or yellow turmeric rice, was surrounded by sambal terasi (spicy jalapeno and shrimp paste relish), bacem tahu (fried tofu), bacem tempe (fried tempeh), and ayam goreng bumbu (Indonesian fried chicken). The smattering of scrambled egg ribbons, deep-fried tempeh bits, and roasted peanuts at the base of the mountain were my favorite components because they jazzed up everything they were paired with.

Another fantastic treat was the lemper ayam, which was comprised of glutinous rice stuffed with shredded chicken and wrapped in banana leaf.

Ira also included two soups for me to sample: chayote and young jack fruit (left) and another with leafy kale greens. Both contained coconut milk and were sweeter than expected. With minimal spiciness at play, Indonesian soups are easy on the palate.

My Indonesian banquet concluded with a small dish of es buah, a sweet dessert soup with coconut milk and balls of watermelon, honeydew, and cantaloupe.

Man, Ray is beyond spoiled eating this goodness everyday.

Ira’s hand-delivered lunchboxes, which usually include three different Indonesian delights, are priced at $8.50. Orders can be placed via email ([email protected]) or by phone (626-345-9931, 805-708-9888).

What what what? Hand-delivered Indonesian lunches?? What have I and my Indonesian compatriots been missing out on?! I’m gonna tell them all stat, this beats Chandler’s any day. Thanks for letting us know about this! (Let me know when Vern places an order — maybe I’ll save Ira some driving time )

That looks amazing.
Indonesian cuisine was a breakthrough for me. I grew up in the Southern US (not known for adventurous eating) and was studying in England (same) when I happened upon an Indonesian restaurant for which I had a coupon. Everything I put in my mouth hit several taste and texture notes: beef with coconut! squid with chili chutney! It was a revelation. I never cooked the same way again.
I’m eyeing that egg and that coconutty beef, and I can taste that meal all over again. Funny when food works that way.

Thank you for the compliments.
In regards of delivery fee:
Free delivery for up to 5 miles radius in Pasadena area.
Outside Pasadena: there is a minimum of 4 orders, delivery charge will be added and calculated based on quantity of orders. Please call me (626) 345-9931/(805) 708-9888 or email me at [email protected] for more detailed information. I’ll be happy to serve you with my “cooking art with heart” gourmet.
You have to taste it to believe it …:)

Not many people in the world realize that Indonesian cuisines are among the best in the world. It’s actually not surprising because Indonesian islands have been known for centuries as the land of spices and herbs. Too bad, not many Indonesians open restaurants outside the country making them less known compared to Thai foods for example. The best Indonesian restaurants outside Indonesia are located in the Netherlands where the old Dutch who identified its deliciousness since centuries ago cannot live far from it.

Cathy, it happened while I looked for a recipe of Vietnamese deep fried tofu with chili and lemongrass. I browsed through more your blog. Since there are no Indonesian restaurant in Winnipeg, Canada, I cook my own food and keep as authentic as I can. I planted some herbs that I can find at Asian markets as well.